Director Strategy & Innovation

We are Athene. At Athene, we are driven to do more. We are a leading retirement services company that issues, reinsures and acquires retirement savings products designed for the increasing number of individuals and institutions seeking to fund retirement needs. We see every day as a new opportunity to measure ourselves against the best - and then we don't stop until we've set the bar even higher. We're ready to help you achieve more.

Purpose:

At Athene, we’re obsessed with finding better, smarter ways to deliver for our customers, partners and investors. Apollo is a leading provider of alternative asset management and retirement solutions, and invests across credit, equity and real assets. Apollo’s retirement business, Athene, provides a suite of retirement savings products and is the market leader in annuity sales in the US.

Athene’s Strategy & Innovation team is responsible for driving strategic growth and innovation for the company. This team works to identify, incubate, and launch businesses that will support continued market leadership, and to embrace new technologies to continually improve the operating effectiveness and efficiency of the existing business. The team works at the intersection of Apollo and Athene and leverages capabilities from across the combined firm to drive industry leading innovation and performance.

The team is currently executing on a set of strategic growth opportunities and moving those forward from strategy to execution. Additionally, the team maintains an active pipeline of additional opportunities, with continuous ideation, development, prioritization, and decision-making to move opportunities forward in alignment with growth objectives. The Strategy & Innovation Director will be responsible for delivery of in-flight growth initiatives and managing the pipeline for future growth initiatives.

Accountabilities:

• Opportunity Identification and Development: Support the identification and evaluation of new business opportunities that align with the firm's strategic objectives. Conduct market research and competitive analysis to support business case development
• Business Design: Collaborate in the design and development of new business opportunities (products, channels, market segments). Lead and support the development of business plans, including financial models, go-to-market strategies, and operational frameworks
• Project Management for Business Launch: Lead incubation projects, ensuring timely and on-budget delivery. Apply project management methodologies to define work plans, track progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies. Collaborate optimally across multiple groups including product/pricing, distribution, asset management, operations, technology, finance and risk to successfully launch new businesses
• Transition and Integration: Lead process to fully embed incubated businesses into the larger organization for scaling. Provide support to ensure smooth integration and continued growth post-transition
• Performance Measurement: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the success and financial impact of incubated businesses, along with supporting regular reviews and reporting on the performance, adjusting strategies as needed
• Culture and Talent Development: Contribute to developing and retaining high-performance team members. Contribute to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, collaboration, and innovation
  
  

Qualifications and Experience:

• MBA and 5 years of strategy consulting or banking experience preferred, OR bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 7 years of strategy consulting and or banking experience
• 4 years of retirement industry experience preferred, with eagerness to further deepen learning and become an SME
• Passionate about incubating and building new businesses
• Highly motivated and effective in fast-moving environments, working collaboratively and influencing without direct authority
• Superior communication skills and ability to engage with C-Suite audiences
• Advanced PPT and Excel skills required
• Experience leading large scale projects, balancing multiple priorities and tight deadlines
  
  

$174,585.60 - $261,878.40 USD Annual

Annual Salary for this role is market competitive. Actual salary for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer. Depending on the role, a discretionary bonus plan or variable sales incentive may be included.

Drive. Discipline. Confidence. Focus. Commitment. Learn more about working at Athene.

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Athene celebrates diversity, is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.